KCWC a Positive Experience by Londa S. (Suzy) Hayden

Suzy recommended KCWC on her blog, so we asked her to critique the conference for our blog. See the post on her blog here. Here's what she has to say about KCWC.

I remember meeting Virginia Smith and attending a couple of her workshops, which were very helpful. Virginia was approachable and encouraging. Unlike the non-Christian conferences I have attended, KCWC always begins with prayer and worship which set the tone for the day in a positive light. The conference experience helped me to hone my skills as a writer. Learning about how the business side of publishing works has helped take away the intimidation factor that sometimes comes with meeting published writers, editors or agents. The more I attend such conferences and rub shoulders with the best, the more my writing will benefit.

I don't feel like I have accomplished all that much in my own writing endeavors, and I find myself discouraged from time to time. Sometimes I feel like the turtle in Aesops fable, but then I remember that "slow and steady" wins the race. Last year, the one thing I remembered Terry Whalin saying over and over again was that you have to stay with it if you want to succeed. In other words, “failure is not an option.” Hearing that, I walked away encouraged to persist with my writing endeavors.  

I believe in God's plan for my life and that He will bring about divine encounters in His time. I believe, “...All things work together for those that love the Lord.” I may think my efforts are lame and worthless. I may question if it is God's will for me to be a writer, but, if I'm not called, why would I have a desire to write in the first place? Of course, it's God's will for me to write and to make a difference in the lives of His people. Is it my right to stop trying, to stop preparing so that, when the opportunity arises, I won't be ready to take hold of the blessing?  Yes, but, if I stop, then all my efforts will have been in vain.  I choose to keep trying. I choose to make my efforts count.

If you're still trying to decide whether to attend KCWC this year, maybe you should take a look at the website: www.kychristianwriters.com. If you register by May 1st, you'll get the early discount. If you have questions, e-mail jvsliger@gmail.com or kcwcinfo@gmail.com.